


i took the stars from our eyes (and then i made a map)

by ghoulboys



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Badass Rhys, Good Dad Jack, I also am really bad at writing Jack so like. roast me i guess, M/M, Rhys and Jack have a healthy relationship, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-08-29 11:59:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16743580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghoulboys/pseuds/ghoulboys
Summary: It's been five years since Handsome Jack disappeared from the galaxy. Five years of conspiracy theories, searching, andwaitingto see if he'd return.Rhys finds himself lost in a photo of a man he once knew.The frame sat on his own desk now, and Rhys found himself lost in the way Handsome Jack's fingers curled around his shoulder, holding him close. Mid-laugh, head tilted back, a barely visible hickey from the night before decorating his Adam's apple.The man beside him, with loose brown hair and a goofy smile, looking shyly at Jack. His white-collared shirt stained with light green, the same colour as the drink Jack held in his left hand. The mismatched blue and brown eyes staring lovingly at Jack. His lips bruised from a sloppy kiss he had just received minutes before the photo, though you couldn't see it in the photo, Rhys knew his hand was lying directly on Jack's waist and his fingers curled into the un-tucked shirt he wore.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He whispers to a memory of what once was._

In hindsight, the warnings weren't absent.

A stir in the quiet hours of the night makes Rhys open his dreary eyes, a hushed sigh escaping his lips as he rolls over in his bed, expecting to see his boyfriend getting up for a smoke. The repeating cycle of waking up and seeing his boyfriend missing from the bed was something Rhys was sad to say he had been getting used to. The strain from work days and home life wouldn't allow Jack to sleep. Rhys would frequently find the man in the kitchen, hands trembling as he attempts to light his second cigarette of the night. Rhys would gently take the lighter and scold him as he assists, claiming the cigarettes would only create more difficulties than they'd fix.

Jack would never reply, instead taking a long drag of the cigarette.

Rhys is convinced this is why Jack is shuffling out of the bed, to go and indulge in a guilty pleasure whilst his boyfriend lay in an empty bed, waking up only moments later and leaving to retrieve the man.

It was routine.

But instead of the sight Rhys is so accustomed to, he's greeted with Jack standing by the edge of the bed, back facing Rhys. His head is hanging low, and the fact his hands are in front of his body makes it seem as if he's holding something.

Rhys lets out a quiet huff, starting to sit up and rub at his eyes when Jack turns. Even the softest of movements he'd detect, and he's quick to sit down at the edge of the bed and place a hand on Rhys' shoulder.

"Go back to bed, pumpkin."

Rhys lets out a mumble of words that Jack can barely understand,

"But... Smoking..."

Jack's hand slides to Rhys' chin, lifting his head gently and leaning in to capture a kiss.

"I know, sweetheart. Just this once, alright?"

"But..."

Jack cups his cheek. "I'll be back in bed before you even notice. Come on, now."

Maybe if Rhys had noticed the suitcase at the door of the room he could've stopped Jack. Maybe if he had called Jack on his bluff, or fought for Jack to remain in bed instead of leaving, he could have stopped Jack.

Or maybe, it would have just delayed the inevitable of Jack's disappearance.

"M'kay, but... Bed soon, please."

Rhys almost forgets to return Jack's kiss before laying back down, and his eyes follow Jack as the man moves to the door. Through the dimly lit room, Rhys can barely make out the small curve of Jack's lips.

Maybe if Rhys noticed Jack was wearing his mask, which he never does while smoking, he could've stopped him.

Instead, Rhys closes his eyes and begins to fall into an unconscious state.

"I'm so sorry, Rhys."

Those are the last words he ever hears Handsome Jack speak.

His penthouse was rigorously searched for any indication of where he could have gone, but any evidence they might have found proved useless. It undoubtedly seemed like Jack himself had wiped any conspicuous evidence pointing towards their disappearance, covering up his tracks carefully.

He didn't want to be found.

It was abnormal for Jack to do such a thing. People believed it was unusual simply because Jack rules Hyperion — leaving his corporation behind, everything he's been working towards was merely thrown away.

Rhys simply found it odd that he'd run off without telling him where he was going, or why.

There was a fair amount of speculation within the Hyperion corporation about what had occurred to Handsome Jack. Rhys himself wondered; was Jack kidnapped? Did the pressure of being a billionaire destroy him, driving him off Helios?

Except Rhys hadn't lost one person that day, he had lost two. Angel had vanished alongside him. It was probable that wherever Jack had gone, or whoever had taken Jack, took the daughter with. Only ten at the age of her disappearance, they were quickly approaching what would've been her sixteenth birthday.

The last photo captured of Angel had been sitting on Handsome Jack's desk after the disappearance. Her hair, contained in a ponytail, falls easily over her shoulder. Freckles dance across her rosy cheeks, and her blue eyes are bright with unmistakable excitement whilst a smile tugs at either side of her lips. Her left hand contains two balloons in a celebration of her tenth birthday. Her other hand placed on her dad's arm, who stands close, beaming with pride.

Beside that photo, there had been another taken from a few weeks beforehand. A photo of Handsome Jack and a man Rhys barely recognized.

The frame sat on his own desk now, and Rhys found himself lost in the way Handsome Jack's fingers curled around his shoulder, holding him close. Mid-laugh, head tilted back, a barely visible hickey from the night before decorating his Adam's apple. His left hand holding a drink that was spilling out of the cup, but no one seemed to notice or care.

The man beside him, with loose brown hair and a goofy smile, looking shyly at Jack. His white-collared shirt stained with light green, the same colour as the drink Jack held in his hand. The mismatched blue and brown eyes staring lovingly at Jack, his lips bruised from a sloppy kiss he had just received minutes before the photo. Though you couldn't see it in the photo, Rhys knew his hand was lying directly on Jack's waist and his fingers curled into the untucked shirt Jack wore.

_"Jack," Rhys whispers into his neck, a smile curling at the corners of his lips._

_"What's up, babe?"_

_Rhys glances upwards at his boyfriend, the dimly lit room making it hard for his eyes to focus. Or maybe that had been the alcohol._

_"I love you."_

_There's a beat of silence, an intake of breath, and then Rhys feels Jack's hand slide up his back._

_"Yeah?"_

_Rhys knew the mans feelings towards the word love, but he couldn't help himself. The party hadn't even been for Rhys, it had been for a Hyperion accomplishment; the long-time enemies of Hyperion, Dahl, finally agreed to work with Hyperion instead of against them._

__

__

_Yet all night, Jack had taken Rhys wherever he went. Introduced Rhys as his own, and puffed out his chest in pride whenever people gaped at them. Rhys was flustered, but it felt good to be shown off, especially when others started paying attention to how good he looked. Jack was quick to jealously; rough kisses in front of people who 'didn't believe' they were dating was Rhys's favourite part of the night._

_He hadn't realized this was something he wanted until the party was over, and Rhys felt like he was on top of the world._

_"Yeah." Rhys presses his lips to the side of Jack's neck._

_"Kiddo..."_

_"I know. You don't have to say it back."_

_Jack props himself up on the bed, holding himself up with his elbow. Rhys shuffles off of him, and sits up with a frown. He expects Jack to laugh at him, tell him he's stupid for thinking that he would ever have a chance,_

_Jack simply puts his hand on Rhys' cheek and smiles._

_"No, pumpkin. I was gonna say the exact same thing."_

_Rhys grins, and they meet each other halfway._

Rhys kept finding himself with a feeling of evanescence.

"Rhys!"

Rhys is snapped out of his memories, eyes finally leaving the photo and meeting a blue gaze instead. "Vaughn."

"It's midnight, bro."

Rhys looks over at the time, squinting in an attempt to recognize the hazy red numbers before settling on, "I'm busy."

"Come on." Vaughn flips the photo onto it's face, causing Rhys to roll his head towards Vaughn with half-lidded eyes.

" _Hey._ "

The tone is a warning, but Vaughn has heard it before. 

"Hi."

Vaughn grabs Rhys by the arm and pulls him up from his chair with an disconcerting amount of strength.

"Have you been working out?"

"Come on, bro." Vaughn leads Rhys back to his apartment, releasing his grip when Loader Bots turn in their direction.

For a while, Rhys had been up in the penthouse belonging to Handsome Jack. Now, he stayed in an apartment made for three — him, Yvette, and Vaughn.

It was a downgrade, but Rhys wasn't complaining. Any company was appreciated at this point.

The door slides open once Vaughn had unlocked it, and Rhys stumbles in with a hand pressed against his mouth. Vaughn places his access card on the kitchen counter and looks back at Rhys, who's shuffling off his jacket.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Rhys. It's been years."

_"Don't make me say goodbye to you, Jack." Rhys begs._

There's a few beats of silence.

_"I'll never get over you."_

"You need to move on, bro."

_"You won't need to, pumpkin." Jack assures, "I don't die."_

"How am I supposed to move on when he left so suddenly?" Rhys questions.

Vaughn freezes, having not expected Rhys to respond. He usually ignores Vaughn when he's scolding.

"He could be out there. He could be waiting, waiting for someone to find him — for me to find him." Rhys continues, voice starting to crack.

"Rhys..."

"I'm tired of sitting around and waiting for him, Vaughn. I have to find him myself if he won't come back to me."

"Rhys, you need to let him go."

_"Stop acting immortal." Rhys snorts, hands sliding up Jack's chest to fix his tie._

_"Acting immortal? I am friggin' immortal, babe."_

_"You're not immortal, Jack. Not even close. Don't wave your life around like a trophy, it's anything but."_

"I don't need to do anything except die." Rhys responds, voice cold. "Goodnight, Vaughn."

He gets to his room without another word, barely even hearing Vaughn call out a goodnight as he left. He rolls onto his back and activates his holo-pad display from his mechanical hand. It resumes what he had been browsing on his computer earlier — a forum page dedicated to Handsome Jack, possible sightings, and theories as to where the man could possibly be.

Rhys had to tell himself that the only reason he searched was for closure. To end the wondering, and tell himself Handsome Jack is dead. There's no need to linger on what once was.

Though, the forum never seemed to let him rest. The page automatically refreshes upon opening, displaying a post made a few hours ago in bold text.

_**HANDSOME JACK SPOTTED ON PANDORA, NEAR SANCTUARY!!** _

Well, that definitely got his attention. Tapping into the thread, posted by an anonymous user, Rhys is greeted with a photo. A fuzzy figure with thrown back hair was standing near the entrance of Sanctuary, with another figure at his hip. Long black hair falls onto one of their shoulders, and the man's hand rests on her shoulder. The entire photo is blurry, so if it was truly Handsome Jack and his daughter, you could never run a facial recognition scan and find out. The man, supposedly Handsome Jack, was turned slightly towards the camera.

The face, though blurry, sends a bolt of hope through Rhys.

It was certainly interesting though; whoever posted the photo obviously didn't want to be recognized, maybe out of fear that whoever this man is would find and kill him. It certainly looked like he would by the mans stance, and the arched brow and pulled back frown.

Rhys hesitantly flicks his finger down the screen, scrolling into the comments. The thread is slowly gaining popularity, people theorizing whether or not it was truly Jack and his daughter. Comments were popping up by the minute.

**WALLETH3AD** : _If you zoom in, you can tell it isn't Jack. Their body types are extremely different, which can't be done through simple exercise and definitely not over the span of a few years. Bring up the brightness and... **[READ MORE]**_

**LAWBR1NG3R** : _Are you serious? Handsome Jack would **never** go near Sanctuary. Apparently, he hates the town more than he hates bandits. And rumors are his ex lives there... So no way. Probably a doppelganger, or a... **[READ MORE]**_

**HANDSOMEJACK69** : _That has to be Jack. Who else would be on Pandora without looking like a total bandit? Even after four years, the man can retain class. And who else has a daughter with black hair! I mean, besides millions of people.... But if you zoom into the photo, you can see the outline of... **[READ MORE]**_

Ready to go to bed, Rhys is about to turn the lamp beside his bed off when another comment pops up, catching his eye.

 **AN0NYMOUS** : _Handsome Jack on Pandora doesn't seem like too far of a stretch. Hyperion stated they didn't have any pods scheduled to leave, nor did any leave the day Jack did, but how do we know that is the truth? Handsome Jack hasn't... **[READ MORE]**_

Rhys taps onto the read more, displaying the entire comment.

**AN0NYMOUS** : _Handsome Jack hasn't been found because he does not want to be found. He is hiding something and covering up his tracks as he goes, and he probably deleted any evidence of pods being taken or covered it up some other way. I work for Hyperion and I know that they have ideas on where he is, but every time they get close people die. He is protecting something. Maybe his daughter._

They work for Hyperion? Rhys works for Hyperion too, and he hadn't heard anything about that. Had they been hiding it from their workers, any evidence of finding Jack? They had promised Rhys in particular of any evidence of finding Jack, but he hadn't heard anything.

That's Hyperion for you. Lying through their teeth with a friendly smile, and shooting you if you ever see through it.

Rhys selects the profile, which was made only a few days prior, and taps to send them a message. He begins to type.

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _I work for Hyperion too,_

Rhys deletes the message. Too blunt; how could he possibly word this without giving himself away?

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _Hi, I saw your comment on Handsome Jack sighting in Sanctuary. I work for Hyperion too, but we haven't been told as much as you obviously have. I think we can help each other out?_

He hits send, and almost immediately regrets it; the text burns into his eyes, and he cringes internally. He's pleasantly surprised when _AN0NYMOUS IS TYPING_ shows up underneath his message, then a little chime plays and a new message appears.

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _Not surprising. Only board members really know, or if you're close to Blake. What do you need help with?_

Blake, the current CEO of Hyperion. He was the vice-president while Handsome Jack was in charge, so it only made sense for him to take over when Handsome Jack went missing. Though he didn't have the same ways of running Hyperion like Handsome Jack did, his very presence set people on edge. There was a lot less murder, and a lot less promotions being thrown out to whoever jumped high enough. It had certainly made climbing up the corporate ladder easier, but that didn't mean Hyperion isn't suffering from the loss of Handsome Jack; sometimes you need the fear of murder in order to take your job seriously.

Rhys types out another message.

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _I want to find him. Will you help?_

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _Hah, and get killed like all the others? No thanks._

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _Will you at least tell me what you know?_

There's a few beats of tense silence, then a reply.

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _Why do you want to find Handsome Jack? He'll probably kill you like all the others. It's a suicide mission._

Rhys knows that isn't true. His eyes find a pocket-watch resting by his bed, and he lets out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding in.

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _He won't kill me. I know he won't._

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _He came into power by murder, and you think you're the one person he isn't gonna kill? ___

_Rhys doesn't realize his mistake until it's too late. He's being thrown up against the wall, Jack's forearm against his neck. He's practically shouting threats at Rhys._

_His heart is beating so fast. Can Jack hear it, with how close he is? Rhys raises his chin to get eye-level with Jack, and swallows a lump in his throat. Though Jack is too busy promising the many ways he could torture Rhys._

_"You can trust me, Jack."_

_Jack stares._

Rhys types out another reply.

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _You don't know me, but you have to trust me. I know he won't hurt me._

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _People care about him. He deserves to be found._

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _This is a terrible idea._

__For whatever reason, Rhys feels his heart drop in his chest. This person, his only hope, wasn't going to help him. How could he find Jack without a source? Rhys attends frequent board meetings, is a board member, and still isn't trusted with information about Handsome Jack. Hell, Blake even took a liking to Rhys and still wouldn't trust him._ _

Without this, Rhys is royally screwed.

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _Please._

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _...Fine._

__He feels a grin spread across his face._ _

**AN0NYMOUS:** _Not safe to discuss online. Hyperion can track us._

 **AN0NYMOUS:** _I'll send someone to discuss it with you._

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _How will you know where I am?_

 **COMPANY-MAN:** _Hello?_

**_AN0NYMOUS HAS GONE OFFLINE._ **

Well. That wasn't cryptic at all. Rhys hesitantly closes his holo-pad and lets his arm drop back to his side.

"I'll find you, Jack."

He whispers to a memory of what once was, and swears that he hears the memory whisper back.

"I know you will, kiddo."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been like two/three months but uhh.  
> Have some Jack!  
> No warnings for this chapter except some *minor* deaths and threats.  
> Notes: I found some errors in the last chapter. To remind everyone, Angel is 15, turning 16. They left when she was 10.  
> That's been changing a lot but that's the last change, I swear.

"Hey, kiddo, anyone ever tell you how good you'd look with your hair back?"

Jack leans in close to the programmer, who's sitting at his desk and trying to work. His mouth lingers by his ear, and his hand glides onto the man's shoulder. He gives it a gentle squeeze as he speaks, and lets out a hushed chuckle when he feels the programmer turn rigid.

"Excuse — excuse me?" The man questions, though sounding more confused than flustered as he turns to look at Jack. Jack takes the time to look him over. Curly brown hair, recently trimmed, falls into his blue and brown eyes. There's a port on the side of his head and Jack glances down to spot his mechanical hand, humming a bit in appreciation. The guy definitely belonged to Hyperion with all that Hyperion tech in his body. 

"Don't make me repeat myself cupcake, it isn't cute." Jack immediately states, scowling a bit although his mood couldn't be completely ruined by the cute employee sitting in front of him. The flush that threatens to dance across his cheeks is enough to lift the corner of his mouth and he leans forward a bit more.

"No, sir. They haven't. Sorry, sir." The man immediately corrects himself, and sits up straight. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I think if you just tucked it back. Like this," Jack takes the opportunity to get his hands on the man. It's creepy, sure, but he can tell who's a fanboy and who isn't off first meetings and _this guy definitely has a poster somewhere in his room._ He brushes the mans hair back and a bit to the side, chuckling a little when some stray hairs pop out in denial. "You'd have to get some hair wax for that. It looks like there's a friggin' dog on your head."

Jack turns to leave, and Rhys is left staring after him. He brings up his flesh hand to shove his hair back as it begins to curl again, a grin finally crossing his lips for the first time that day. For whatever reason, watching Jack leave doesn't feel right. His hand drops, instead reaching out to the company CEO. "Jack, wait."

"That's Handsome to you, pumpkin." Jack stops midway through the door, looking back with a raised brow. "What's your name again?"

"Jack." Rhys says, beginning to stand from his chair.

"Nuh uh, not my name, dumb-dumb. I just said—"

" _Jack._ "

He opens his mouth to retort, but Rhys grabs him by his shoulders. He's tearing up, mouth pulled back in a helpless cry and the voice that comes out doesn't match his own. "Jack!"

Angel?

The former Hyperion CEO jumps out of his daydream, turning his head towards the noise despite already knowing who it is. The reason for his interruption has come in from the backdoor, leading to their backyard and greenhouse. She wipes her unwashed hands on her dusty blue overalls, and kicks off her shoes before heading further into the house, stopping at the wall that connects the kitchen and living room and leaning against it. She crosses her arms.

"You were zoning out again."

"What have I said about calling me Jack? I'm your dad, pumpkin." Jack scowls, sitting up properly and raising a hand to fix his hair.

Angel throws Jack a piece of drakefruit, which he snatches out of the air. "It's your name. Sometimes I think you forget it."

Jack furrows his brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Truth was, Jack knew exactly what it meant. Apart from visits to Sanctuary, they hadn't had any form of contact with anyone. Jack would drop Angel off with the vault hunters every so often, so she can resume her siren training in peace and in hands of people Jack actually trusts. Which is a weird thought, seeing as he wanted to murder them in the beginning.

He thought he could control her himself, at first. Contain her in the penthouse, make sure no one knows of her existence. Hell, part of him was tempted to send her to Pandora herself just to get her away from everyone. Send her into a containment chamber down there. But that would only cause more issues, and it'd take much longer for him to visit her that way. So in the end, it just wasn't an option.

Her powers became more and more powerful. She was able to twist reality at her whim, unlock anything in a blink of an eye, bend technology to her will. When excited, she'd spark in a matter similar to a faulty outlet that had yet to be fixed. If feeling intense emotions — anger, sadness, fear. She could explode like one as well.

It wasn't the same way her mother died. Her mother was the first person to realize her unnatural abilities, and she tried to calm Angel down when Angel found out but it was far too late by then. Angel twisted open the portal to the phase dimension and her mother was never found. It was a miracle that Angel hadn't gotten herself stuck in there as well.

It took a lot of convincing for them to agree with it. The saner ones of the group were against it, obviously. Maya and Lilith refused the idea time and time again, and eventually Roland even stepped in to insist that they should at least give the two a chance. Jack wasn't to be trusted, but Angel couldn't be judged just by her father's actions. The Angel that betrayed them wasn't the same Angel now. She was being controlled by her father then, but now a regular person, able to choose for herself. She never wanted things to end the way it did with the Hunters and even considered them her friends throughout their journeys together.

It was much easier to convince them when they actually met, face to face instead of through an echo device. The two sirens took an immediate liking to his daughter, which Jack felt oddly smug about. Of course they'd like Angel, who _doesn't_ like Angel? She was extremely intelligent for her age and had her fathers wits. What sane person wouldn't love the siren as their own?

Angel gestures to the door that leads to the outside world with a deadpan expression. "It means that you haven't had human interaction in weeks, ever since we left Sanctuary. I'm starting to worry about you. You'd do this back on Helios, but never for this long. He'd... He'd always come and pull you out of it."

Of course she'd bring Rhys into this. Why wouldn't she?

Sometimes Jack's sure Angel knows him better than he knows himself — her constant worrying is what keeps them together. Though he's definitely more cautious than she is, refusing to get into contact with the outside world until necessary.

While Jack worried for Angel, Angel took the job of worrying for her dad. He was often preoccupied with their crops, the water, the land in general, keeping them protected. Jack forgot to take care of himself, too hard-pressed on protecting only Angel.

"You know why we're here, pumpkin." Jack states, getting up from the couch and walking to their kitchen.

They lived on Pandora, on the edge of the water. A location near the Highlands, but the journey there was long and no one would dare attempt to walk that far. The wildlife surrounding the area was enough to scare any bandits off.

They were lucky to find a hidden path that lead to the house, which they covered with bushes and blocked off to ensure no one else would find it. It was a nice little house, a little run down, but Jack was always able to fix it up. It had basic necessities and Angel had helped Jack get the generator nearby up and running, so it wasn't like they were living in a dumpster.

"I just don't see why we have to be here. They ended the search, dad. You're dead to the world. That's what you wanted, isn't it? To be totally, completely alone. Away from everyone." Angel says from the living room, shooting him one of her classic looks as she crosses her arms. "You got what you wanted. My powers are controlled now, I can handle myself. There's no reason for us to stay here."

Jack throws a glance her way as he cuts up the drakefruit. "And that's why we're here. Because you're a friggin' siren, of all things." He says, pausing his motions and aiming the knife in her direction.

His posture is too relaxed for it to be considered a threat, merely a lazy attempt to get the point across. "And we both know what people on Helios wanted to do with sirens. How _I_ used to feel about sirens."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'm a child, I don't know how to handle myself. I'm a super, dangerous siren that can melt people's brains. I get it. You got the point across when mom died. When you were _afraid_ of me." Angel says, and she sounds hurt. Her voice begins to crack when she brings up her mother, and fails to notice how Jack's grip on the knife tightens.

It cuts out of view as he turns back to the cutting board and resumes his motions, taking a deep breath to focus himself.

"You are a child," He says, trying to remain calm, but Angel continues.

"Yeah, sure, a child with the head of a, of a freaking _genius_ as you like to call me. Seriously, you're not even trying to protect me anymore. You'd stay around during my training if you were. You wouldn't leave me alone with those people." Angel snaps, standing up and throwing out her hands in wild gestures Jack can barely even understand.

A habit from him, he realizes as he munches down on a piece of the cut up fruit.

He takes another breath before gesturing to the door. "You don't realize what those people will do to you, Angel."

"Why don't you just let me live? I'm practically an adult. I'm turning sixteen. I can take care of myself, you just won't ever let me go out on my own. I want to explore Pandora, see everything for my own. I'll take the gun you packed and—"

Jack flexes the knife in his hand. "No. Final answer. Maybe next year."

Angel begins toward the kitchen. "That's what you said last year. And I'm tired of waiting. Either you let me go, or I go myself! And if I die then, you'll—"

"They'll tear you alive, Angel! Do you understand that?" His temper, fragile, shatters into a million pieces and gets thrown across the house as if it's nothing. Anger, to Jack, is just a temporary solution to a long term problem. He'd been trying to keep it under control, especially around Angel.

He wasn't sure how far her training was getting, how advanced it was. With those thoughts, he realizes that maybe she has a point.

He continues despite it. "Do you realize what it's truly like out there? You don't know anything about Pandora. You don't know anything about the people who live here. I do! Not you! They won't just kill you, Angel, if you give them the chance — they'll make you their slave, and that's when you won't get a say! And then you'll be wishing that _I'm_ there to protect _you!_ "

The house falls silent except for Jack's heavy breathing. Angel and Jack stare at each other.

"Whatever." Angel finally mutters, storming down the hallway. The slamming of a door a few seconds later told Jack she had gone to her room.

Jack slowly picks his knife back up and shakes his head, continuing to cut the drakefruit.

_"I didn't mean to hurt him. I didn't mean to!" Angel hiccups, looking up at Jack. Her tattoos are only just beginning to fade from sight, turning back to their original white state. It's barely visible on her pale skin, but when she activated her powers it was the only thing you'd be able to see. They glow bright, and her wings, oh they're even brighter. More beautiful. Spread out arms length, and Jack knows they'll get bigger as she gets bigger._

_Jack holds his daughter close, a hand on top of her head and the other resting on her back. Another employee lost trying to handle Angel, but when Jack had gotten the call he thought it was Rhys. Who else would've been with her at the time? He had raced down to the penthouse and his mind was at war with himself. He was cursing himself for letting them get too close, but Rhys was an adult who knew the danger and_ what if Rhys died? _He couldn't think of that. No, he wouldn't think of that._

_It didn't matter. When he got to the penthouse and got a message back from Rhys, finally replying to his messages for the first time in a few hours, he hadn't cared for whoever the employee that got killed was. What mattered was that Rhys was safe, and Angel was safe. But it was the final straw._

_Rhys wouldn't be safe forever. Jack was an idiot to think otherwise, and knew what he had to do._

_"Will he be alright, dad? Will he?" Angel looks up, tears rushing down her cheeks. Jack wipes them with his thumb._

_Of course not. She threw him into another dimension, for christsake. He's probably burning up in a world that he's not supposed to be in and begging for mercy. If Angel weren't his own daughter and wasn't sobbing into his torso at the moment, he'd probably consider making it another method of firing people altogether._

_Obviously, he couldn't tell that to Angel. "Pumpkin... We have to go now, sweetheart. We gotta go and pack our things."_

_"I don't wanna go, dad! We — we'll leave Rhys behind! I don't wanna!" Angel hiccups, and Jack smiles solemnly._

_"I know, pumpkin, but you know the drill. As soon as you're in danger," Jack begins, and Angel ends it._

_"We're all in danger." Angel echoes, and Jack squeezes her shoulder in an attempt to reassure._

_"Yeah, kiddo. Go grab your things."_

Jack throws out the skin of the fruit and slowly picks at the actual fruit contents, though the fight has caused his appetite to vanish for the time being. Once he's had a few pieces, he wraps up the rest and throws it in the fridge before leaving the house.

The bright Pandoran sun greets him with enthusiasm, as per usual. They were probably on their fifteenth hour of the day, meaning they had at least ten more to go until the sun falls. Pandora's twenty four hour day and night cycles were either hell or _extremely_ helpful, even if Jack didn't necessarily need twenty four hours of sleep every night.

It definitely felt like it at times. 

First task is to check the greenhouse, but upon arrival, it seems like Angel's already done that. She never thought to clean up the dirt she'd pulled out when removing the vegetables, did she? Jack sighs, making a mental reminder to thank her anyway before taking the bucket she's thrown everything into. He ventures to a nearby hose, beginning to wash off the various foods they've planted. He hums a hushed tune to himself.

Being outside was definitely better than being inside, at least. When you're stuck on a planet that consider skag fighting a form of entertainment, there isn't much to do. Sometimes he'd listen to the radio while working, see what was up in the world of Pandora. Vaults being opened, new Vault Hunters popping up, mentions of Handsome Jack here and there though not frequently. Him and Angel would create games out of it, throwing a dollar or two into a jar every time his name was mentioned or Hyperion in general. Jack wasn't too sure what they were saving up for, but it was something Angel could look forward to.

That's all that really matters.

Sure, life on Helios had been enjoyable. He had a boyfriend, Angel was quickly learning how to control her powers, Hyperion was _rolling_ in dough. Nights were often spent partying or spending quality family time with Angel and Rhys, something he wouldn't have expected years prior.

Despite promising himself no one would ever see Angel, Rhys was an unexpected exception.

Rhys had a lot of exceptions.

He didn't even mean for Rhys to live after he found out. A few drinks lead to a night spent at Jack's penthouse and they both fell asleep before Jack could realize his mistake. When he woke, he was met with Rhys in his kitchen, making Angel breakfast. He meant to kill him on the spot, but he couldn't find his damn gun. Or his words, it seemed, because he kept stammering " _uh, uh, what?_ " over and over again. Rhys had teased him for sounding like a broken record.

_"So... A child. I didn't consider you a family man." Rhys states as they're leaving the penthouse._

_Jack can usually take the teasing from people. He took it from Nisha, when she found out about Angel, and her daily echo calls to the girl herself. Thankfully he managed to shield her from any embarrassing stories Nisha wished to tell, and gave a rundown to her after that_ Angel is young and can't hear about what you did last night _as well as the good ol' threats. The usual you'd expect from someone harboring a siren._

_But teasing? From this one night stand, dog-haired motherfucker?_

_Okay. Maybe that was a bit harsh._

_You get it, right? Jack didn't like it one bit._

_"Okay. That's it." Jack's quick to turn on his heel, grabbing Rhys by the collar and slamming him into a nearby wall. "You **ever** tell anyone about her, and I kill you. I'll kill you in the most slow and painful way possible that you'll beg to whatever goddamn God you believe in that he just comes down from above and ends your suffering on the spot." Jack begins, grip on Rhys' collar tightening with every word._

_He pushes his knuckles into the mans collarbone with a hiss, eyes narrowing. "You put my baby girl in danger and I tear out your spine — no, no — I take out your teeth one at a time and crush the dust into your eyes — I boil your goddamn brain until it's soup, feed it to you and — are you laughing at me, you little shit?"_

_And oh, Rhys was definitely laughing. The corners of his mouth lift up into a pleased smile and his head falls to the side helplessly, eyes crinkling as Jack stops his threats to question him now. He takes a moment to regain himself before nodding, and raising his chin. "You can trust me, Jack. You don't have to act like a doomsday survivalist or whatever."_

_Jack's pretty sure that isn't the right word in this context, but he doesn't approve of it either way._

_He stares, and digs his knuckles further into his chest. "Can I?"_

_"You can."_

_Jack scoffs, releasing Rhys from his grasp. "I expect you back here for dinner."_

_Rhys scoffs, feet hitting the ground with more grace than Jack imagined but too be fair he was only being held a foot or two above the ground. Rhys fixes his collar before brushing out his shirt and allowing his eyes to sweep over Jack, lips twitching to the side. "So... Are you asking me out on a date, Jack?"_

_"What?_ No, _"_ Jack's about to begin, but Rhys is quick to cut him off, even raising a hand to stop him mid speech. 

_"Well, how can I say no to that? I'll see you here at five, Handsome." With the confidence of a man not afraid, especially not of death, Rhys turns and walks to the elevator. The doors open for him and Jack's last view of him is Rhys waving goodbye with a shit-eating grin._

Maybe it had been the way the two fell into an easy conversation, going off each other's words and simple glances of encouragement.

Or maybe it had been the way Rhys had looked at him. He saw a person, while most people saw a figure meant for scaring other companies such as Dahl and Torgue into agreements. Some people saw a horribly disfigured man hiding his insecurities underneath a mask that was definitely made to make him look better than he actually does. Most people — no, no no, not most people. _Everyone_ was scared shitless of Handsome Jack.

But Rhys. Oh, Rhys saw something that Jack didn't even see in himself.

Maybe that had been why Jack hadn't taken out his gun and placed a bullet between his eyes.

Gentle kisses shared between work, papers pushed off a desk to make room for one of them like nothing, Rhys' _insisting_ that he didn't need any help climbing Hyperion ranks. The feeling of Rhys' fingers, tracing the scar that dragged from his cheek, over his eyebrow and down his other cheek; as if he was delicate, and could break under any sort of pressure. Rhys had looked at him, and saw a person. He can almost remember the touch, though the feeling dies when his mask is latched back on and he resumes his everyday routine. Whispers in the dark; promises, that could never be kept. Of a life worth living, a life Jack would've fought, killed, maimed, to live.

Jack nearly falters as he lifts the bucket, full of newly washed fruits and vegetables Angel had pulled earlier. The life he had been living, with Rhys, up on Helios — it was too good to be true. Of course it would be Jack, to ultimately screw them all over and cause damage you cannot undo.

_"She's a siren, Rhys."_

Jack didn't want to tell Rhys at first. He wanted to keep it quiet and let the peaceful aroma remain. He thought telling Rhys would ruin that, and that the man would forever be on edge around Angel. But Angel was so happy around Rhys, she already considered him family despite the short amount of time they'd been together. He couldn't possibly ruin that for her.

But Rhys deserved to know the truth. And Jack gave him that.

_"I know."_

Shit. That wasn't the expected answer, was it?

_There's a pause, and then Rhys is leaning close to the side of his face. "Thank you."_

_Jack almost laughs, and turns his head to look at Rhys. Their noses bump messily before Jack is pressing the tips of their noses together, looking at Rhys with soft and affectionate eyes. "For what?"_

_"Trusting me."_

Oh, Jesus Christ. Save Jack from this romantic-esque bullshit.

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever... Don't get all sappy on me. You know I hate that shit."_

_An arm is looped around Rhys, and he's suddenly pulled much closer than he expected, face pressing into the crook of Jack's neck. He snickers a bit. "I wasn't getting sappy."_

_"You were. I'm not having any of that, Rhysie. Not in my penthouse." Jack retorts, ruffling the others hair. "You save that shit for your own place or when you're telling your friends how awesome I am. Naw, naw, scratch that, when you're telling your friends how great my—"_

_"Okay. That's enough." Rhys laughs, pushing his hands against Jack's chest to separate them. Jack's laughter rings around the penthouse instantly, and he pulls Rhys closer as the man attempts his escape._

He drops the bucket beside the back door and covers it before heading inside, glancing around the now quiet house. "Angel?" He calls, and steps toward the hallway containing the bedrooms. "Baby, come out and talk to me. You can't stay mad at me forever."

"It hasn't even been a few minutes!" Angel snaps from inside her room, and opens the door to face Jack. "Seriously, dad. Leave me alone."

"I was just wondering." Jack replies, raising his hands in surrender. "Besides, you have a habit of—"

"Shut up." Angel cuts him off, and raises her hand with furrowed brows.

"Uh. Excuse me, cupcake?"

"I said shut up." Angel repeats.

"Angel." Jack growls, a warning, before the irritated expression is wiped after seeing Angel's concerned face. "What's wrong?"

"Do you hear that?" She questions, and Jack turns slightly to listen. A faint, high pitched whirring noise from outside the house. He recognizes it instantly.

"Moonshots. For what? Shit!" He shouts, and rushes for the door. Helios hadn't fired a moonshot in ages, not since Jack had vanished. They didn't have a reason since Hyperion's main goal was no longer destroying bandit settlements. Jack pulls the door open with enough force to dent the wall it hits, craning his neck up to look at the sky.

He was right. The distant figure was rushing toward Pandora, coming in hot and furiously. To make it even more concerning, it was near their location. Had Hyperion finally figured it out, and was ready to put Jack in the ground for good? That company was gonna be the death of them all. Jack huffs, moving back as he watches the moonshot go out of sight. "Try again, fuckers."

But to his surprise, there was nothing else.

"Maybe they got their target. Maybe it wasn't us." Angel softly suggests behind him, and places a hand on Jack's shoulder to tug him inside.

"Maybe." Jack repeats, staring in the direction it landed.

"Dad."

Jack turns to look at her. "What?"

"You have your thinking face on. Don't." Angel warns, pulling her hand back and crossing her arms.

Jack always had bad ideas. It was second nature for him. He'd get excited, think about multiple scenarios, and immediately act it out before thinking of the consequences. It wasn't a surprise that Angel figured it out immediately, and knew which ideas were terrible. It wasn't hard because honestly, most of them are terrible.

I mean, we've all played Borderlands. We all know how Jack really acts.

"I'm going to see what it is." Jack states, pushing past Angel and to his room. He pushes open the door and reaches underneath his pillow, pulling out a Hyperion shotgun he brought along when they first came down to Pandora. "You stay here and watch the house. Remember the secret knock?"

"Jesus christ, you're an actual child." Angel deadpans from the doorway, watching as Jack pushes some sunglasses over his eyes and a scarf across his lower face and neck.

"Angel." Jack warns, muffled.

"Jesus. Yes, I do, of course. One, two, three, one two three, one... two." Angel sighs, raising her hand to knock whenever calling a number. Jack does it with her, one hand still holding the shotgun.

"Perfect. I won't be long." He states, and moves past her. Angel barely has enough time to duck out of the way, shaking her head with pursed lips.

"Or you will be, 'cause you'll die."

Jack gets to the door and kicks his shoes against the hardwood floor for a moment or two, before looking over at Angel. "Aw, come on, sweetheart. Don't be like that. Besides," He lowers his sunglasses. "Handsome Jack doesn't friggin' die."

Angel watches him go with a frown, standing in the doorway and watching as he disappears from sight. "Jesus christ. He's gonna get killed, isn't he?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> I have the plot for this lined out and the next chapter... :) It'll be more exciting than this one.  
> It'll be released soon, hopefully. Comments really help me get my inspiration going to continue writing this, so thank you for all your lovely comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading!  
> Show your support by pressing kudos and commenting down below! I wanna hear your thoughts!  
> Updates should come once every two weeks, or earlier!  
> Thank you for your support.
> 
> For your consideration:  
> Takes place before Borderlands 2, but after the pre-sequel. You don't even know how long I've been searching the internet trying to find the canon character ages for Angel and Jack. So honestly screw that.  
> Angel was never put into the Project Core Angel because Jack isn't a fucking asshole dad in this.  
> Thus, second wife never existed and only the first. She's dead tho.


End file.
